Elizabeth Smart Kidnapper Being Released Early

Wanda Barzee, who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart in 2002, is being released early from prison. The 72 year old, who, along with Brian David Mitchell, was convicted of abducting Smart, and holding her captive for 9 months. Smart was taken from her family home in Salt Lake City when she was only 14 years old.

According to CNN, the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole said 'it hadn't credited her sentence in the state system with the time she served in federal prison.' She will reportedly be released on September 19.

Elizabeth Smart said in a statement to CNN 'It is incomprehensible how someone who has not cooperated with her mental health evaluations or risk assessments and someone who did not show up to her own parole hearing can be released into our community," she said. "I appreciate the support, love and concern that has already been expressed and will work diligently to address the issue of Barzee's release as well as to ensure changes are made moving forward to ensure this doesn't happen to anyone else in the future.'